Regional Budget 8/01/07

GateHouse News Service Regional Budget (8/01/07)
Here are the top Illinois stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://ghns.ghnewsroom.com
*Please check this Web site in the evening for changes to story lineup, including breaking news.
Contacts:
Regional Editor Jonie Larson, (217) 816-3343, jlarson@gatehousemedia.com
National Editor Jean Hodges, (630) 348-3350, jhodges@gatehousemedia.com

News

PAYDAY SAVINGS? CHICAGO - Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration claims in a new report that payday loan consumers have saved $20 million in interest and fees in recent months, under a 2005 reform law. We'll check it out and get reaction from the industry. Ramsey, 400 words./CHICAGO BUREAU/Illinois

HONONEGAH FOLO: Follow with more reaction on Hononegah School Board's decision not to support the formation of the Gay Student Alliance. What are the possible legal ramifications. What does the public at large think of the board's stance? ROB BAXTER/ROCKFORD, 360-420 words/Illinois News

BUDGET DEVELOPMENTS: Gov. Rod Blagojevich is telling state employees to report to work Wednesday even if a temporary budget is not passed. FINKE/CAPITOL BUREAU/Illinois

Business

FUTUREGEN:FARMERSVILLE - Sallie Greenberg compares the Illinois coal basin to a massive sandstone casserole dish where polluting carbon-dioxide emissions can be injected thousands of feet below ground and held for thousands of years. A layer of harder rock provides the lid.
It's the not-so-scientific explanation behind a state bid to bring a $1.5 billion FutureGen clean-coal technology plant to Illinois that would generate electricity by converting coal to hydrogen, while creating hundreds of permanent and construction jobs.LANDIS/SPRINGFIELD/posted Thursday night/Illinois News

LOGISTICENTER SOLD: Rochelle's second-largest industrial park, LogistiCenter, was sold recently to the largest developer of distribution/warehousing industrial parks in the country. This puts Rochelle even more on the map, officials hope. THOMAS BONA/Rockford Register Star, 480/this evening/Illinois News

MIKE NADEL: Column on Penn State Footbal Coach Joe Paterno is going into his 42nd year and may go 42 more according to him. From Big Ten football media day/column/moving this evening/Illinois Sports

NETWORK LAUNCH: Covering plan for Big Ten Football satellite and cable network television launching this month and the conference commissioners state-of-the-league address. Main bar and notebook. Supinie/CHICAGO/moving this evening/Illinois Sports

GOLF BEST 18: (good one to study and localize) Panel of 20 premier area golfers and five Register Star writers/golfers picks the best 18 holes in the area and compiles a dream course. This is the first one. MATT TROWBRIDGE/ROCKFORD/ 360 words, midnight/Illinois Sports

ST. JUDE SEND-OFF: (w/pic, map) More than 150 runners in 19 motor homes left Peoria early Tuesday morning to begin the drive to Memphis, Tenn., for the St. Jude Memphis-to-Peoria run. Feature on runners, who "do it for the kids." The group is expected to arrive back in Peoria about 5 p.m. Saturday. (12-15 inches by 3 p.m.) JAQUELINE KOCH./PEORIA/Illinois Sports

SPORTS COMPLEX: Illinois State University planning a $2.5 million sports complex at site of university farm. The Board of Trustees approved the project last Friday. It will features tennis courts and fields for softball, rugby and soccer. The project is the first in a series expected to lead to the construction of a $44 milliion student recreation center. (12 inches by 7:30 p.m.) FITZGERALD DOUBET/PEORIA/Illinois Sports